chocolate

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Bites

By in GF Sweets, Kids, Snacks 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

chocolate peanut butter energy bites

I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks that are quick and easy to whip up. These chocolate-peanut butter energy bites are delicious to have on hand for when you’re craving a cookie but don’t want the flour, butter and sugar. It’s a hit of sweetness without the guilt. And how could you go wrong with the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? You can’t. Unless you’re allergic. Or you’re packing them in a school lunchbox. So I suppose you can go wrong. But not in flavour! If there are any allergies to be concerned about you could substitute the peanut butter with almond butter or sunflower seed butter, I’m sure they would be just as delicious. :)

I like these little rounds because they are reminiscent of truffles and are fun for the kids to eat. But, if you want to make them more of a granola bar shape you could press them into a pan, put them in the fridge until firm and then slice.

Because these use natural peanut butter I find that they do seem a bit dry when cold (although that might be just the brand I’m using? It’s always dry when it’s cold but loosens up at room temperature.), so I like to try to think ahead and take them out a bit before snack time. Although that doesn’t stop me from enjoying them last-minute straight from the fridge. :) They are packed with energy boosting foods and are a great pick-me-up in the middle of the day when you’re running out of steam. Plus, you get the awesome benefits of Omega 3′s and fibre from flaxseeds, in the process. Definitely a sweet treat I can get on board with!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Use almond butter instead of peanut butter for school snacks, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version. To make these gluten-free make sure to use gluten-free certified oats.

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Stir together peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix together until evenly combined (I like to use my hands but it does get kind of messy). Squeeze and form into 1-2 inch balls. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes approximately: 2 dozen (depending on size)

Adapted from The Cheapskate Cook.

Orange Mocha (or Hot Chocolate)

By in Beverages, Warm 1 Comment Tags: , , , , ,

Orange Mocha (or Hot Chocolate)

I”m obsessed with drinks. Cold in the summer, hot in the winter. I can”t help myself, they”re just too much fun to make and sip. And, there are so many different flavours to come up with depending on the season. We”ve been nabbing up oranges every time we go to the grocery store – they are soooo good right now! I was feeling the need to break away from the typical fall flavours for a little bit and enjoy something wintery and bright. Wintery = Hot Drinks and Chocolate. Bright = Citrus. Together = Orange Mocha.

If you like the combination of chocolate and oranges together, you will love this. It is a great change of pace from all those spiced drinks we”ve all been enjoying so much. For myself and my hubby, I like to make it into a mocha by stirring the chocolate orange sauce into coffee. For the kiddos, I heat up a glass of milk and stir some in, to make Orange Hot Chocolate. They love it. And, I love that it”s not coming out of a package filled with sugar and artificial flavourings. Win. Win. ;)

Orange Mocha

For extra decadence top with Cinnamon-Honey Marshmallows or Orange Whipped Cream.

  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder

  • 1/2 cup milk (or dairy-free alternative)

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1 orange

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small saucepan whisk together cocoa powder, milk and maple syrup. Remove the rind from the orange with a vegetable peeler or pairing knife, being careful to avoid the white pith. Stir into cocoa mixture. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the chocolate mixture. Stir in cinnamon. Remove the orange rind, if desired (if it”s cut into nice strips I don”t bother). Use immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make a mocha, stir 2-3 tablespoons of the chocolate orange mixture into 1 cup of hot coffee. Add additional sweetener or milk, if desired. (For hot chocolate stir into 1 cup of warm milk.)

Makes: 1 cup sauce (6-8 servings)

(Sweet Cherries!) Black Forest Ice Cream

By in Cool, Sweets 1 Comment Tags: , , , ,

black forest ice cream

This post is part of a July series on sweet cherries. To see the other posts head here.

This post is a week late but I promise you it’s worth the delay. They always say to save the best for last and I think I may have succeeded with this one.

This ice cream starts with a rich chocolate ice cream which gets a good dousing of melted chocolate mixed in, creating chocolate shards reminiscent of the outside of a Black Forest Cake. All that chocolately goodness gets layered with candied cherries, to create a black forest lovers dream.

I’ve tried incorporating fresh cherries into my ice cream before. The problem is that when you put uncooked cherries into frozen things, they freeze solid and you get an unwelcome frozen chunk of cherry, that is basically un-chewable, in the middle of your ice cream. That’s why, for this recipe, I decided to candy them, this way they remain soft and chewy, even after freezing.

If you love chocolate and cherries together you must give this recipe a go before cherry season is over!

Black Forest Ice Cream

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, no fear, David Lebovitz has a great tutorial on making it by hand.

Chocolate Ice Cream
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 5 oz. semi-sweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat 1 cup cream and the cocoa powder over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil. Lower heat and let it boil gently for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in remaining 1 cup of cream. Pour mixture into a large bowl, set a fine mesh sieve over top.

In the same saucepan, combine milk, sugar and salt. Heat the mixture just until steaming. In a medium-sized bowl whisk the eggs together. In a small stream, pour warm milk into eggs, whisking constantly. Once combined together pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it coats the back of a spoon or spatula (you should be able to draw a visible line with your finger). Remove from heat and pour through the sieve into the chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and stir everything to combine. Allow to cool completely (this is best done over an ice bath, if possible). Once cool, refrigerate, covered, for at least 8 hours (or overnight).

Make sure all components of the ice cream are ready and then freeze the prepared custard in your ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

Chocolate Shards
  • 5 oz. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, chopped

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Pour slowly, in batches, into the freshly churned ice cream, stirring to break it up into shards as it freezes.

Candied Cherries
  • 1 pound sweet cherries, halved and pitted
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 drop pure almond extract

To make candied cherries: Place cherries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and boil gently for 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid is a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Allow cherries to cool in syrup. Remove to a storage container and refrigerate until read to use. (This can be kept up to 2 weeks in the fridge.)

To add to ice cream: Drain cherries of their syrup (over a bowl so you can reserve syrup for something else*). Let cherries drain for one hour, to dry. Layer into storage container between scoops of freshly churned ice cream, cover and freeze until ice cream is firm.

* I mixed some of the leftover cherry syrup equally with maple syrup and served it with crepes.

Makes approximately: 1 litre of ice cream.

All recipes adapted from The Perfect Scoop, compilation is my own.

Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse

By in Chocolate, Creamy, Sweets 6 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

I”ve been camping this week, which also means I”ve been out of touch this week. And, I”m ok with that. Having a break from real life, enjoying family and nature without any distractions, is one of my favourite things to do. I”m sure we”ll come back tired and smokey but hopefully also refreshed and ready to settle back into some sort of routine (yeah, probably not). ;)

This mousse has been a long time favourite of ours, ever since I created it for Smithfield many moons ago. The recipe is no longer available on their site and since I”m gone this week, and this is still one of my favourite preparations for mousse, I thought I”d share the recipe on here and make it available to you once again.

Mousse is a great dessert to make during the summer because it creates no heat in the house and is cool yet comforting to eat. And with this chocolate version it”s just made that much better with a sprinkling of fresh berries.

This mousse literally take 10 minutes to make and then all you have to do is wait for it to chill and set in the fridge. It”s so luscious, smooth and rich, and yet so easy. I”ve never had the desire to look for another mousse recipe since making this one. For me, it”s perfect.

Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse

  • 1 (8 ounce) tub spreadable cream cheese, room temperature

  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

  • 1/2 cup icing sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 cup cold whipping cream

Cream together cream cheese and melted chocolate chips. Add icing sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour in cream and beat with electric mixer just until peaks form and hold their shape when beaters are lifted. Spoon into serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves: 6-8

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

By in Chocolate, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

Hi friends! I hope you didn”t think I”d forgotten about you!

After what feels like forever, we”re finally settled in our new place. We didn”t have any internet for most of last week, which is why the blog was rather quiet. But, I did get my first ever garden planted – I even have the bright red sun burn to prove it!

I can”t believe how much our lives have changed over the last little while. We went from a view like this:

To a view like this:

Only a little change…

To make up for my week of silence, I made you brownies. Fudgy, gooey, rich brownies. With little pockets of salt roasted pecans to help offset the uber chocolatey-ness. It is one delicious combination.

To ensure fudgy brownies every time it”s important to do two things 1) Don”t over-bake the brownies. A toothpick inserted in the centre should have a few fudgy crumbs stuck to it. If it comes out clean it”s been in the oven too long. To avoid this, check on the brownies well before the recommended time. 2) Don”t over-beat the batter. If you beat the batter too much it incorporates too much air and you”ll have a cakey brownie instead of a fudgy one. To avoid this, mix the batter by hand just until the ingredients are incorporated.

This is one brownie that gets better with age, so if you can bear the wait, make it the day before you plan on serving it.

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

Salt Roasted Pecans

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 cup pecans

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and salt. Cook, stirring often until the pecans have a toasted aroma. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Brownies

  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut up

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Melt together chocolate and butter in a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat. Remove from heat; whisk in sugars. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until evenly mixed. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and cocoa powder.

Remove 12 pecans from the skillet and set aside. Chop remaining pecans and stir into brownie batter. Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 inch baking pan. Top with the reserved pecans.

Bake at 350º for 25 minutes, or until the top looses it”s shine and a toothpick inserted in the centre produces fudgy crumbs. Let cool at least one hour before serving. Store covered, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Makes: 12 servings

Adapted from Bake with Anna Olson.

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

By in Cookies & Bars, Easter, Kids, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

soft birds nest sugar cookies

I love making things with Max in the kitchen, but if the project is too intricate or involved I find myself getting more stressed out then I like to be. I want us all to enjoy our time in the kitchen together, I want to foster a love for the kitchen, not memories of a stressed out mom. That’s why I love planning projects like this that are easy for him to help with, don’t make a ton of mess and look great no matter how tiny the hands are that made them.

This is the perfect project for toddlers and preschoolers because although their not quite adept enough to pipe sensical decorations onto cookies, they can decorate these cookies easily and have them turn out beautiful. They can choose the colours they like or mix and match them like Max did. They can have complete freedom and you’ll know the end product will add something special and delicious to the Easter table.

We topped our’s with candy coated chocolate covered almond eggs (wow, that’s a mouthful!) which I thought were the perfect complement to the coconut topping. When I made these I figured they would be just for looks but they were actually really delicious. This is one case where the toppings aren’t just there for show, they actually add something special to the flavour of the cookie.

The coconut topping is just shredded coconut that has been dyed with food colouring and water. I used liquid food colours but you could also use gel colours, although you may need to add a bit more water to make it the right consistency to coat the coconut. My favorite colour was definitely the purple and I’ve included the instructions below on the amounts of liquid colour I used to achieve the colour. The other colours are much more straight forward – just one or two drops from the average four-pack of liquid food colouring.

These are so tasty and so fun, I know I’ll be making them again next year. Im pretty sure we just found a new Easter tradition. :)

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

Just FYI, I had a lot of leftover frosting. But, I don’t think half the frosting would be quite enough. Better to have too much then too little right?

Soft Sugar Cookies
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly beat into butter mixture, just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scoop 1/4 cup amounts of cookie dough, roll each into a ball and flatten slightly. Place on parchment-line baking sheets 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until set; do not brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to cooling racks or paper towel to cool completely.

Frosting
  • 5 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 7 tablespoons milk

Mix together all ingredients until smooth.

To Decorate
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • food colouring
  • water
  • chocolate covered almond eggs, chocolate eggs or jelly beans

Place 1/4 cup coconut into four ziploc bags. In a small bowl add 1/4 teaspoon water and desired food colouring, swirl to combine. Pour into one of the bags, seal and shake until the coconut is evenly coloured. Rinse the bowl and repeat with remaining colours. (To make the purple, use 3 drops red and 2 drops blue of liquid colour.)

Top each cookie with frosting, a good sprinkling of coconut and chocolate eggs.

Store, covered, at room temperature.

Makes approximately: 2 dozen cookies

Decoration inspired by Betty Crocker. Recipe Adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Hostess with the Mostess.

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